That's according to attorney Brian J. Sutherland, who is representing ethics commission attorney Elisabeth Murray-Obertein. Sutherland declined to answer questions about what issues were discussed.

The ethics commission last week decided to ask for an independent investigator to look into circumstances surrounding two lawsuits filed against the agency by its former executive secretary and her deputy, who allege retaliation for their work investigating the Deal complaints.

Murray-Obertein was among those called to provide depositions in the cases. She says the current executive secretary has claimed the governor "owes her" for taking care of his ethics complaints. Deal has denied any wrongdoing.